The Scrimshaw Skeleton Reversible Bomber Jacket

The Reversible Quilted Bomber Jacket is designed, printed and made in England. This double-sided garment is constructed from quilted silk twill on one side, and unquilted silk twill on the other, with each side displaying a contrasting colourway. The jacket hemline falls at hip-height, and the ribbon drawstrings can be adjusted using the metal cord-stoppers to offer a variety of styles. With the drawstrings tight, the jacket is cropped and compact, but once the ties are loosened, the jacket offers a more trapeze-like fit. The bomber jacket fastens using magnetic, subtly branded snaps concealed beneath the centre front placket. Patch pockets have been applied to the quilted side of the jacket; the placement print meaning that the design continues entirely uninterrupted. The Scrimshaw Skeleton Reversible Silk Bomber Jacket draws inspiration from a wide range of sources. The central motif was first inspired by the poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, through both water-weary descriptions and moral significance; a caution to respect our natural world. A primary reference for this design were the skulls and bones of American fraternal art, in which skeleton symbols are seen not as morbid, but as an encouragement for virtuous living and reverence for life, including the skeletal coral. They serve as beautiful and poignant reminders to protect our natural world. This print also highlights the plight of whales in the 19th century; The carved whale teeth were inspired by Susan’s Teeth, a famous set of scrimshaw teeth inscribed by a whaler from Nantucket, while the carved bone whales were a common form of folk art for sailors of the era.